Perhaps it is because "grow" often refers to a natural process. When you "growing a business," you are more intimately involved with the clients and the marketing. Corn doesn't need much prompting to commence photosynthesis. Of course, I say this lightly and as I eat an apple that has more chemicals on it than my computer's motherboard.

Thanks, Brandon and Jackie. We're getting somewhere. As Jackie said, though, I have no problem with the intransitive usage, e.g. "the business/economy is growing" ... maybe it does indeed have to do with the organic element (pesticides aside).

In Montreal (CDA) we say 'Grow a business' all the time. We use it mostly to mean increasing the business in a particular area (eg. I want to grow the shampoo business in grocery stores). I think it may be because the French say "faire grandir un marche" (oops, do not have French keyboard at moment as I am in an internet cafe in Florida, USA, so you will have to imagine the accent on the e there) Which means to 'make an area of business grow'. I believe that is why the expression is so widely used - and accepted. To be honest, I am not sure if the rest of the country uses grow in the same way. There seems to be some important differences between Quebec English and the rest of Canada English.

Well, I have officially crossed the line into being a fanatic. I am on vacation and, just had to come in to view AWAD. We are avoiding the noon-day sun and I thought this was the perfect place. Pretty good excuse no?

One very important difference is the adoption of French Canadian words into the English vocabulary, eg: DÉPANNEUR (pronounced Day-pan-er) is ONLY used in Québec - not in any other French speaking country - to mean a convenience store; one of those open-all-night "mom 'n pop" stores. All English speaking people in Québec use this term. It is not used, nor understood, anywhere else in Canada. A second example is the word AUTOROUTE (pronounce OH-toe-route) to mean a highway (many-laned, high-speed road). It is pretty self evident when you look at the word - a road (route) for automobiles but is not used elsewhere.

CHECK is an example of a word that should be used the same everywhere but isn't. When I am at a restaurant in Quebec and I want to pay for my food I ask for the bill (la facture) not for the check like the rest of Cda (or the USA as I found out this week-end). A check is what you pay your bills with and in Québec is spelled the French way 'cheque' in both English and French.

I usually find out I've used a 'Québecism' when I say something and I get a blank look from the person I am speaking with.

Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site.
Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to
hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.